The U.S. is packed with road trip routes. We have coastlines, canyons, scenic highways and luxury destinations. We also have the Midwest — admittedly, the road less traveled when it comes to summer road trip destinations, but full of attractions that are every bit as worthwhile, if you know where to look.
When I learned that my husband was going on a 35-day work assignment to North Dakota, my brain began to tick. I checked flights – too expensive. I decided the only thing harder than a 2,152-ish mile road trip alone with three kids would be not seeing my husband (and my kids missing their dad!) for more than a month. Thus, the planning commenced.
Surely, I thought, there were destinations between Oklahoma City and Devils Lake, North Dakota that could not only break up the trek, but make it memorable. Drum roll…I was totally right. I made a list of roadside stops and detours – some tentative, others must-see. The theme of our 10-day adventure quickly became “it is what we make it.” And you know what? We made it FUN.
Our Midwest Road Trip Itinerary:
Stop one: Topeka Zoo
We pulled out of our driveway at 8 a.m. with a prayer, plenty of snacks and iPads fully charged. With this impressive departure time (if I do say so myself), we unloaded at the Topeka Zoo around lunchtime.
We are OKC Zoofriends members, and since the Topeka Zoo is also accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, our admission was 50 percent off. Parents who travel on a budget will understand this was a welcome surprise that left us with extra lunch money.
We ordered burgers, chicken, nachos and fries from the on-site cafe and enjoyed them in the shade. Then, it was time to explore. My secret hope was to wear my kids out so the next leg of our trip would be spent napping. But this zoo has a very different vibe than our sprawling OKC wonder. It was compact, leisurely and super shady. The exhibits were close together, allowing us to take in hippos, tigers and elephants in a matter of steps.
A highlight for us all was the rainforest, an indoor exhibit that mimics, yes, a rainforest. Many of the animals were free from enclosures, creating a real-life Where’s Waldo experience. Well, if Waldo were a sloth or an exotic bird hiding among the foliage. You get the point — it was exciting and we spent a good deal of time with our heads upturned and mouths open in awe, looking for the next surprise.
I let them expend their last bits of energy on the playground and at the feet of the giant animatronic dinosaurs on exhibit. Then, we hit the road.
Next Stop: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Not only is Sioux Falls a natural stopping point between OKC and North Dakota, we also have family in the area. So much of our trip was built around the city we know for its small-city charm, walkable downtown, public art and the beauty of Falls Park. There, the Big Sioux River tumbles over pink quartzite rock with force that is stunning, if slightly terrifying.
There are many ways to enjoy Falls Park – from the five-story observation tower, while dining at Falls Overlook Cafe or walking the pedestrian trails that surround the falls. This trip, I surprised the kids by booking a hotel with an indoor water park, which might’ve been my mom-win of the year. It gave us something free and fun to do between visits with family, and my kids would’ve stayed there until they were certified prunes. But the trip must go on.
Honorable Mentions: Corn Palace, Storybook Land & Children’s Museum of South Dakota
As every parent knows, things rarely go to plan. And how boring would it be if they did? We had three additional stops on our list: Corn Palace, Storybook Land and the Children’s Museum of South Dakota. Total gems, by all accounts, but none of them firsthand.
I looked forward to exploring the free attractions at Storybook Land in Aberdeen, South Dakota. My two-year-old is absolutely obsessed with The Three Little Pigs, and we were all looking forward to watching him explore the lifesize houses – straw, stick and brick – as well as slides, playhouses and other monuments to traditional children’s fables. We also planned to check “Ride a Rollercoaster” off our summer bucket list with the child-friendly rides available at the park.
Additionally, we had dreams of exploring the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota. I mean, how much more midwestern can you possibly get? Unfortunately, our visions of popping popcorn into our mouths as we strolled past corn murals will have to wait until another day. But good news, the Corn Cam is live 24/7 to satisfy our curiosity until then.
We were also intending to stop at the Children’s Museum of South Dakota, whose highlights include The Prairie Play Zone, Creativity Lab & Art Studio, water play, and an animatronic T-Rex mom and baby duo.
But all of these plans flew out the window and were left somewhere along I-29 when we passed a sign that read: Exit 350 for Home of Laura Ingalls Wilder.
A Detour: De Smet, South Dakota
Book nerds or 70s and 80s TV fans will understand, the vote in my car was unanimous: we were stopping. We arrived at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Homes in De Smet, South Dakota right as the final tour of the day was departing. I hustled the kids in, hastily paid and hurried into an original home of the Ingalls family. They arrived in De Smet when Laura was around 12, and their time there is documented in “By the Shores of Silver Lake,” “The Long Winter,” “Little Town on the Prairie” and “These Happy Golden Years.”
In addition to the original Surveyors’ House, we toured the schoolhouse where Laura and Carrie attended, and the home built by Charles (Pa) Ingalls. Each was packed with original artifacts fans may remember like Pa’s Big Green Book of animals and Mary’s raised-letter Bible.
After looking at a replica of the wagon the Ingalls took cross-country, my kids were really grateful for the air-conditioned comfort of our car. I didn’t get an “are-we-there-yet” for at least 200 miles.
The Final Destination: Devils Lake, North Dakota
We finally made it to Dad! He had a couple days off to spend exploring Devils Lake. If you like to fish, this is the place for you. If you don’t like to fish…well…
I’m kidding! We found some good food (shout out to The Ranch), and a clearer lake than my kids had ever seen. We packed picnics and spent hours collecting rocks along the cold shores of Devils Lake. We got ice cream and went to the park. We even wasted some money at an arcade. But the best part was just being together.
It was a trip of yeses. You want candy? Okay. You want to go to the park again? Let’s do it. You want to get in the lake in your clothes? Sure, they’ll dry. And you know what it made? One happy family.
Home Sweet Home:
Will I drive practically to Canada again any time soon? Probably not. But neither will I forget the memories we made, and the lessons I learned courtesy of our Midwest road trip. Here are a few:
- Traveling with kids is doable with the right mindset.
- Give yourself time. Play at the rest stop playground. Find a Chick-fil-A with a play place. Factor in the pauses, it’s not a race.
- Say “yes” whenever possible. Don’t let “no” be a reflex without a reason.
- It doesn’t have to be elaborate to be memorable. Sometimes the simplest things are the ones that stand out.
And most importantly, things become what you make them. And that, my friends, is how we made a 2,000+ mile trek on a Midwest road trip to Devils Lake, North Dakota, one of our most memorable vacations yet.
For more family road trip ideas and itineraries, visit our collection of travel-focused articles that explore Oklahoma and beyond.
